Self-efficacy is the belief in one’s capabilities to organize information and execute a course of action to navigate a prospective situation. According to social psychologist Albert Bandura, self-efficacy is a key component of the self-system, which consists of an individual’s attitudes, abilities, and cognitive resources. High self-efficacy increases the likelihood of successfully achieving a given task.
So what’s that mean to us without a degree in psychology. Simply said, if you have strong self-efficacy, you strongly believe in yourself and your ability to accomplish goals successfully. You’ve heard the phrase ‘if you believe, you can achieve,’ right? Well, that is exactly what self-efficacy is all about.
It is important to help our youth build a strong sense of self-efficacy in order to give him or her the tools to perform well and cope with challenges in the world. Encourage your child to view challenges as solvable by giving him or her age-appropriate responsibilities.